A/N: Hey guys. Thank you all for reviewing! This sounds like a broken record, but your kind words are really motivating and always make me smile :) Here is the next chapter. Hope that you all enjoy. Please find the time to comment, critique and review. Enjoy!
"What the fuck does that mean?" Morgan couldn't help himself. "How can you not be Reid?"
Without hesitation, Reid administered another swift punch to Morgan's nose. Garcia cried out, and the sound of clanking metal sounded as the other members began tugging at their restraints. Morgan shook his head, trying to push away the dizziness and pain that was swimming through his skull. He could feel warm liquid dripping down his face.
"Morgan, rule number one." Reid delivered another blow to his head, but then turned to the others. His lips upturned when he saw the confusion on each of their faces.
"You really are idiots." He crossed his slender arms over his chest. "I'm not Reid. I haven't been for the past year."
"But what does that mean!?" Morgan yelled.
Reid groaned with annoyance, "You don't learn, do you?" He stalked over to where Garcia sat and kicked her in the stomach. She cried out and doubled over in pain. "If you say another word without permission"-he pulled out a sleek black revolver and pointed it toward Garcia's heart-"I will shoot her."
Morgan grew silent.
"Good," Reid said, tucking the gun away in his jacket, hiding it from view. Turning to Hotch, he said, "Now, I would like to give Agent Hotchner permission to speak."
Reid raised an eyebrow when the Unit Chief said nothing.
"Don't you all want to know where Reid is?" He actually seemed confused. Hotch remained silent, his face uninterested. The smile dropped from Reid's face. His lips pulled into a snarl, "Don't you?!"
"Your delusional Reid," Hotch replied simply. "There is no other Reid. There is only you."
"Is that what you think?"
"It's what I said, isn't it?"
Reid's eyes lit with fury. He was shrieking, tight fists with whitened knuckles hung at his side. "You-you...your gonna let your agent die. I will kill him. I am not him."
Hotch seemed unfazed, "There is no other agent. Only you, Reid." Ok good I'm getting somewhere, Hotch thought.
"You don't know what your talking about, how could you..."He seemed to be mumbling to himself, making an unheard decision. The team watched in silent fascination as Reid seemed to contemplate the situation to himself. He looked up after a few long moments. "You need proof."
"Proof?"
"Yeah proof. Agent Hotchner, you no longer have the permission to speak."
Without another word, he turned and headed towards the stair case. The sound of the door shutting and the lock clicking echoed through the small room.
...
"I can't believe that this is happening," Garcia cried, lines of mascara ran down her frightened face. "My baby boy is...hu-hurting us."
"I thought we knew him," Emily said bitterly. She sat hunched against the brick wall, her knees brought to her chest. Her cheeks were streaked with dry tears. Though no new ones formed, as she no longer cried. "I thought we were his family."
"What is he talking about? He keeps saying he's not Reid. Does that mean something?" JJ looked at the others expectantly, a glint of hope clouded her sad blue eyes. "Maybe he's telling the truth. Maybe he's not himself, well not anymore."
Silence encompassed the others as they thought about that possibility. Hotch broke the quietness with strong, muddled words after a few minutes passed, "We thought we knew him. That is what he keeps saying. He tells us that he, or something changed over a year ago and we hadn't noticed. But the question is what?"
Morgan muttered something under his breath, but the others couldn't understand what he had said. "Morgan?"
"It's my fault," He raised his gaze from the floor and exhaled a deep unsteady breath. His body trembled, with fear, anger. Regret.
"How could th-" Emily was cut off.
"It is my fault. I noticed that he had been acting strangely for a while, but I had thought nothing of it. I should have done something. He's supposed to be my best friend."
"Morgan none of us know what he is talking about. You can't blame yourself on what you think you did wrong. Right now, I hate to say it, but Reid is our unsub. He's mentally unstable and violent, and nothing that he says could be rational. We just don't know what is happening here. How can you find blame when none know what the problem it?" Hotch looked over at Morgan, looking for any hint that he had heard what he had said. He waited for a response, but was not surprised when he didn't receive one.
"Do you think this is schizophrenia related?" JJ looked around the circle at the others. "He's delusional and isn't thinking clearly."
Rossi shook his head. "No." He peered at JJ with sad eyes. "There is something major that we are missing."
"Well yeah!" A loud voice filled the room. The team looked around to see black speaker in the upper corners of the walls. They hadn't anticipated speakers. Had he been listening in on them the whole time? "You guys are finally getting closer!" He had heard.
"Where have you been?" Rossi called, succeeding in sounding nonchalant and casual. They waited for a response.
"Well Agent Rossi, I went to get 'proof'."
"Oh?"
"Yes, and I can't wait to show all of you." The microphone clicked off.
...
"You all must be hungry," Reid said holding a large brown bag, the logo read KFC. They were all hungry, starving actually. Despite their best efforts, the sight and smell of the bag and the steamy delicious food it concealed made their mouth water. "Now don't be rude. If you want food you must say please. And say it like you mean it."
Reid walked over to Garcia and gazed down at her from where he stood. "Miss Garcia, would you like some food?"
"Yes please." He gave her a container before moving on to the next person. So he's a control freak now. Morgan thought, watching Reid place food in front of each agent that begged him. Soon he was standing in front of Morgan.
"Derek, would you like some food?" That disgusting chipper voice. Morgan looked up at Reid, stared the young man straight in the eye, saying nothing. He would not accept this food.
"Morgan-" Morgan drowned out the pleads of Garcia, determined to defy this man, this monster in front of him. Reid remained unfazed, though a hint of a annoyance played on the outskirts of his face.
"Don't be rude Derek, would you like some food or not?"
Morgan said nothing.
The annoyance was no longer contained as Morgan felt pain shoot through his stomach. He clutched his side, doubling over gasping. Overhead, "Derek, answer me." He spoke, his words full of irritation.
Morgan remained silent.
Two hands appeared at the nape of Morgan's shirt. Fists gripped the material hard. Reid's face was now only inches away from Morgans, his eyes were narrowed and dark, his lips were barred in a malignant snarl. He spat out each word in a harsh whisper, "Now you listen to me. You are going to accept this food, or I will shoot that fucking pig over there in the head, alright."
As he spook Morgan peered into his eyes. They were dark, barren, and showed no signs of the man Reid used to be. The man he had once considered to be his friend.
Had he ever been there in the first place?
The threat rattled Morgan, but he did not show the fear and anger that was building inside him. "Please." Reid smiled and placed a box of food in front of him. Nodding, he waited for Reid to disconnect their eye contact, and when he did he allowed his eyes to fill with tears.
At that moment, Morgan wanted nothing more then to kill that fucking son of a bitch.
...
They finished their meal quickly. Eating like savages as their hunger took over. The food was gone in a matter of seconds. They ignored Reid who stood in the corner, gazing at them with amusement. He seemed to be waiting for them to finish. How polite.
Morgan tried to eat as little as possible, but his stomach took control and soon he had devoured the entire meal. He threw the napkin to the floor and pushed the empty takeout box away. He ignored the lingering scraps of chicken that lay in the box. Oh how he wanted to...
"Good, you are all fed," Reid nodded in the direction of the empty boxes that littered the stone floor. A sickening smile came to his face, when he spoke his next words. "Now I can show you."
"Show us what?" Rossi asked. He still held the entitlement to speak and had yet to loose the privilege.
"Well your proof of course," It was as if the answer was obvious. "You are going to want to play the game. Play for the proof, play for the prize."
"Why is that so?" Rossi inquired casually.
Grinning, Reid walked from the room. From behind him he called, "You will see."
The team waited in silence. The sound of footsteps had faded a few minutes ago and now as they listened they hear them returning. Soon, they heard the familiar turn of the lock and 'whoosh' as the door swung open. The lights by the stairwell had been turned off and none could see the man approaching. They listened, hearing footsteps unlike before. The sound of dragging, a noise one would make when pulling something heavy across a floor, came nearer. Then it stopped and from the darkness emerged Reid.
"You are allowed one question before I officially begin 'The Circle Game.' I advise you think carefully." Once again he disappeared into the darkness. Moments later he reappeared dragging a large burlap bag across the stone floor. Inside, something was moving.
"Now, now." Reid chastised giving the sac a swift kick. The movement inside ceased. "Good." Slowly, he pulled away the strings that held the opening shut. His movements were dramatic.
"Like Christmas morning," Reid joked sadistically. When he completely unraveled the string he pulled the material down revealing it's contents.
Emily's eyes grew wide as her mouth fell open. She couldn't help the straggled cry that escaped her lips. "No, it can't be." She whispered to herself.
"Oh my God," Garcia cried, her mouth too hanging open as new tears flooded her eyes. JJ gasped, crying as well.
Hotch and Rossi kept composure, though their eyes gleamed with fear and confusion.
Morgan felt his body lurch against his restraints as he stared. He couldn't tear his gaze away. He felt his cheeks grow wet, as he began to shake. Tremors wracked his body as waves of shock pelted his conscious mind. His breath caught in his throat. He couldn't believe what, or rather who he was seeing.
"Reid?" Familiar hazel eyes met his gaze.
A/N: I feel this ending is kinda confusing. If it is, sorry, next chapter will clarify. Thanks for reading and please review.
